


up the stairs

by kihyxns



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternative Perspective, Episode: 03e02 Chapter Thirty-Seven: Fortune and Men's Eyes, Explanations, F/M, Fluff, Protective Jughead Jones, Sad Betty Cooper, Season/Series 03, Season/Series 03 Spoilers, Seizures, Sleepy Cuddles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-21
Updated: 2018-10-21
Packaged: 2019-08-05 13:14:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16368293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kihyxns/pseuds/kihyxns
Summary: what would have happened if Jughead had made it up the stairs





	up the stairs

**Author's Note:**

> well hello again, its me, back after literally 3 ish months off. if you're here just for riverdale then please enjoy, if you're just reading my fics then also please enjoy them and everything else i've got goin' on. I got into riverdale in august 2018 and literally speed watched both seasons within 4 days, and now i'm enjoying S3. 
> 
> i'm not gonna lie, as a kpop stan and shadowhunters lover i probably won't be religiously writing riverdale, but with scenes like this i just couldn't help but wonder what would happen if Jughead got past Alice at the staircase. i was sort unhappy how they handled the whole seizure thing so to make up for that here is some fluffy cuddly bughead with the scene we all really deserved. its short but the situation didn't allow for a proper long oneshot.
> 
> (also if you're a regular reader of mine, can't image thats anyone but Just In Case, I am writing my shadowhunters series again!! its nearly finished promise!!)
> 
> TRIGGER WARNING:  
> mentions of seizures

“This is exactly was Dr Patel was talking about! You keep this up young lady and you’ll have another seizure!” Alice blurts out in front of both FP and Jughead, assuming that at least Jughead knew and probably told his father about it as well. 

By the stunned, cold silence in the room she guesses it's a no. Betty’s blood runs like ice in her veins - she wanted to tell Jughead and in hindsight she definitely should have the second he called her the morning after, but ultimately she was embarrassed. Her mum and sister might be involved in this weird Farm thing and Edgar’s daughter might be hanging around her for some other strange reason, but she hallucinated and had a seizure because of something so mundane. Stress. 

“Seizure?” Jughead repeats after Alice, a foreign word on his tongue, He gazed over at Betty, trying to recode the expression on her face. 

“You had a seizure and didn’t tell me?” Jughead reaffirms, glancing over to his dad who reflects the concerned look on his face. Alice immediately regrets what she just said, she could see the slight motions from Betty but instead just keeps going, 

“She most certainly did,” Alice pauses for a slight second, “and its because you keep dragging her into these murder investigations,” knowing full well that Betty always involves herself in these kinds of things against her wishes. 

“You are so unbelievable, mom,” Betty seethes almost, trying to hide her already escaping sadness and embarrassment with anger. 

Betty pushes past her mother to run up the stairs, away from Jughead’s concerned glances. Her immediate thoughts centre on whether or not he’ll be angry or disappointed that she didn’t tell him when he called in the morning. She can hear the beginning of an argument between their parents downstairs but she ignores the commotion in favour of hiding under her sheets, trying to muffle her tears as they fall. 

“Betty!” Jughead calls after the second she shoots up the stairs. 

All he wants to do is run after her and quell any worries she may have, but Alice stands firm in her position of protecting Betty. His dad tries to lead him away, the term ‘cooling off’ seems to sound far away as his heavy hands come down on his shoulders, attempting to push him out the door. Jughead doesn’t move an inch, repeating his shout for Betty as he pushes back against his dad. 

“Come on, let me just go up there for a couple minutes, I’ll come straight down if she doesn’t want to see me,” Jughead bargains, trying to appeal to Alice’s sympathetic side. 

The second Alice’s arm begins to drop from its hover over the staircase, FP lets go. Jughead bolts up the stairs, a quick ‘thank you’ exchanged for the leniency. His steps become more cautious as he approaches Betty’s room, not wanting to frighten his girlfriend. He knocks, not wanting to barge in with what’s just happened. He waits for a reply but only sobbing is echoed back, so he just opens the door anyway, thinking that Betty will just tell him to go away if he really is unwanted. 

Betty hears the door open, it closing promptly behind him. A dip in the bed forms as Jughead settles beside her, taking off his bag and dropping it with a thud, he brings a careful hand to the top of the duvet. He looks down at a tearful Betty as he draws the covers off her, making sure she doesn’t start hyperventilating in her distress. Instead of talking Jughead just turns into the bed, opening his arms up to give Betty access to his chest. She seizes the opportunity, sitting up and wrapping herself around Jughead. He embraces her in return, leaning against the backboard as she fully sobs into his sternum.

He doesn’t use any words, simply gently taking her hair out of its typical ponytail in order to thread his fingers through the golden, soft strands. This calms her tears substantially, only her breathing seeming out of place slightly as she recovers from the overflow of emotions. He continues to sit, not even encouraging her to speak her mind, for at least another fifteen minutes, allowing her to gather her thoughts. Jughead was prepared to give her all the time she wanted. 

“You do know I was planning on telling you?” Betty finally speaks up after much contemplation. 

“Yeah, I know. Just would have liked it to come from you, not your mom,” Jughead replies softly, his hand stilling in her hair, showing his complete attention to what she is saying. 

“I don’t know why I didn’t just tell you, it was just so embarrassing waking up in the emergency room afterwards,” Betty confesses, feeling so stupid at the whole situation. 

“What caused it?” Jughead asks apprehensively, not knowing how far Betty wants to be pushed right now. 

“Just plain old stress apparently,” Betty replies tiredly. Jughead feels like something else happened, but he decides that is enough for now. 

“Great, and I just asked you to investigate a double murder-slash-suicide,” Jughead bitterly replies, already beating himself up over asking Betty to put herself under even more stress over a hobby really. 

“Juggie, I want to do this. Weirdly investigating some creepy Riverdale thing is the most normal, least stressful thing I can think of,” Betty encourages, not wanting Jughead to antagonise over this. 

“As long as you’re okay, that’s all I really care about,” Jughead finishes, wrapping his arms fully around Betty’s torso so that he could rest his head on top of hers. 

“I love you,” Betty says, the last of her tears being washed out of her system.

“I love you too,” Jughead responds, cupping her jawbone in order to gently turn her face just enough so that he could give her a kiss on the forehead.

Jughead kicks his shoes off, whilst attempting to shrug out of his jacket so he remains in just his jeans and t-shirt. Instead of messing up Betty’s perfectly made bed he drapes his jacket over her, hoping it will keep her warm enough. She soon drifts asleep, the even hum of Jughead’s breathing lulling her into dreamland. Jughead is now pinned down on the bed, stuck in his position until Betty wakes up - but he doesn’t care. He’d stay like this, with her, til the ends of the earth.

**Author's Note:**

> oh my god !! this is my first finished oneshot in A While so I hope y'all with give it some LOVE !! any kudos and comments is extremely appreciated and will make my day !!


End file.
